1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transaction terminal device used to perform a procedure for a settlement process in a transaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various software keys (also referred to as “software keyboard”) are operatively displayed on a touch panel mounted on a transaction terminal device used to perform a procedure of a settlement process in a transaction. These software keys include a sales registration key or a confirmation completion key having an important meaning in the transaction for an operator who mainly uses the transaction terminal device (a clerk of a member shop (for example, a store) that handles, for example, a settlement process for transaction using a credit card carried by a purchaser).
Here, the sales registration key is pressed, for example, when credit for the purchaser is completed without a problem and an amount of purchase is appropriated as an amount of sales money. The confirmation completion key is pressed, for example, when confirmation of content of various items (for example, an amount of purchase, the number of times of payment, a card brand, and a PIN (Personal Identification Number) input by a purchaser) input before communication with a settlement center is started in a transaction using a credit card is completed.
For example, in a small settlement terminal shown in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2011-48486 as a prior art regarding a terminal for business that processes content of a transaction using an input operation with respect to a software key of a touch panel, an information display area and an information input area are set in a display area of a touch panel type display unit, and a numeral keypad image pattern is displayed in the information input area so that an input operation with respect to the numeral keypad image pattern can be performed. Further, this small settlement terminal includes a printer, prints information such as a result of the settlement process on a rolled paper built into the terminal in advance, and discharges a receipt on which printing content has been printed from a sheet discharge outlet.
Further, for example, a sales management device with a touch panel shown in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2000-231670 measures a time for which an operator presses the touch panel, determines that there is normal pressing of the touch panel when the pressing time exceeds a previously determined pressing recognition time, performs a process according to the pressing of the touch panel, and performs control to neglect content of the process according to the pressing of the touch panel when the pressing time is equal to or less than the previously determined pressing recognition time.
However, in the above-described transaction terminal device, it is difficult to prevent an erroneous operation of a software key having a meaning that is important for an operator, such as the sales registration key or the confirmation completion key described above. For example, when such a software key having an important meaning in a transaction is simply erroneously operated, a trouble is caused for a member shop or for a customer in safe performance of the transaction and inconvenience is caused.
In other words, when an operation having an important meaning in the transaction is performed with the software key, the erroneous operation may be simply induced. For example, in the case of a physical key (for example, a button) rather than the software key, since two-step actions, including an operator contacting the physical key with a finger and the operator pressing the physical key, are necessary, the operator is easily conscious of the physical key having been pressed when performing an operation having an important meaning in the transaction.
However, in the transaction terminal device with a touch panel, since the same operation as the operation of pressing the software key is performed only with the finger of the operator simply contacting the software key displayed on the screen, similarly to a two-step operation with respect to the physical key, the operator is likely to simply erroneously operate the software key having an important meaning in a transaction (hereinafter, referred to as an “important key”).